The invention relates to the field of vessels and navigation and in particular to a system for filtering out aquatic nuisance species that may permeate the ballast tanks of ships and cause infestations of non indigenous plants and animals to an area that the ship travels to.
Such aquatic nuisance species include both plants and animals. Animals such as zebra mussels have caused prolonged ecological changes in the Great Lakes and major rivers of the central United States. Other invading species of fish (e.g. sea lamprey, ruffe and round goby) can harm native fish and threaten sport and commercial fishing industries.
Plants such as purple loosetrife, Eurasian watermilfoil and hydrilla can also cause problems as they can quickly replace native plants and/or impair recreational activities, navigation and flood control, as well as degrade water quality and fish and wildlife habitats. This can result in the filling up of lakes and depressing land values. Other risks include possible health risks involving the spreading of for example cholera bacteria and other strains.
Aquatic pests are typically caught in the ballast tanks of ocean going and other types of vessels. They are taken in; stowed away and then discharged from ballast tanks of cargo and ocean going ships of all types.
The purpose of the system is to filter out exotic species and thus prevent them form getting into a ship""s ballast tanks. If adopted, such a system will prevent or minimize this sort of damage to marine environments. If adopted for international use, the present trend of damage in the US and abroad could be curbed or abated.
Since ballast tank intake ports are below the water line, a maneuverable filter is needed. The system therefore is designed around a navigable platform to which the filters are attached. The platform is operated by remote control using a hand held control panel connected to the platform via an umbilical cord.
With a filtering unit thus equipped on the ballast tanks, the process of cleaning out such tanks on ships may be made easier and safer and thus it will be possible to clean out such tanks on a more regular basis that is the case nowadays. By the use of remote sensoring equipment such as video cameras and a lighting means the operator of such a remote device may control the movement of the filtering device and manipulate the position of the device until it can be docked with the ballast tank through the use of electromagnetic devices.
The invention is a system for filtering aquatic pests from the ballast tanks of naval vessels. The invention comprises a basket shaped filtering net at one end of the operation in connection with a remote control operating system at the other end. A human operator is at the remote control end where he controls the movement and the operation of the filter when filtering is needed.
The filter end of the system includes a basket shaped member for filtering out waterborne organisms that flourish in the ballast tanks of the vessel. The filter member has a sensoring means including a video monitor for viewing the immediate area in and about the ballast tanks and an illumination means in connection with the filter structure. Both the video camera and the illuminating means are controlled from a remote location and are preferably operated in terms of their orientation of such as well as the on and off operation of them.
The remote operator is in communication with the sensors through an umbilical cord that links the filter portion of the invention with the operating controls for the pilot. In addition, there are electromechanical means at the filter end that are operated remotely and are used to connect the filter to the intake and discharge ports in the ballast tank.
Other monitoring sub systems in the invention include a wave monitor and a GPS system for monitoring the location of the vessel. The locating system is used to periodically filter the ballast tanks when the vessel is nearing a port of entry when such vessel is at a predetermined distance from the port. The wave monitor will cut off power to the system and disable its operation in the event that the action of the filter may endanger the ship due to the size of the wave action.
An object of the invention is to provide a means for filtering out water borne pests out from the ballast tanks of naval vessels by a remote operator at such times as it may become necessary to remove such pests.
Another object of the invention is provide a method for removing water borne pests from the ballast tanks of naval vessels by remote operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means for safely filtering out water borne pests from naval vessels at selected times during the voyage of the vessel.
Another objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art once the invention is shown and described.